Opening your own bar can seem exciting as you imagine creating the best meeting place for people—a nice, classy place that is as welcoming as a warm hug from a friend after a long day at work. You can almost already hear the soft clinking of glasses harmonizing with laughter heard from the tables, and the ambiance of the place is just great. You only need to design a perfect local bar and grill menu to welcome your guests.
The local bar and grill menu, as well as the layout and design of the place, are important because they determine whether your guests stay for the night or leave after one quick drink. Get this right, and your bar will make money. Get it wrong, and then…well, you may have to close within a few months.
To get it just right, you need to study and understand the essence of your intended community or target clients. What do they like, what do they drink, what do they eat, where do they like to hang out, etc? Don’t think that you can just copy what other bars are doing and you will attract a crowd. Bar patrons choose their watering holes based on the ‘personality’ of the place. You need to make them feel at home and give them a feeling like they belong in your bar. Then they will come, and they will stay.
Creating Your Menu
To attract paying patrons, you need to create a perfect local bar and grill menu. It’s the heart of your brand’s identity, your signature brand. Create your successful menu using the right ingredients. Think of it as blending your unique signature cocktail. The ingredients you will need include:
- Clear organization of beverages. Separate types of drinks you serve into sections like beers, wine, cocktails, signature beverages
- Use fun, original descriptions to tempt customers into buying your premium items. For example: Our margaritas will have you feeling like you’re on a beach in Mexico – salt-rimmed glass, perfectly blended tequila, lime, and triple sec, garnished with a slice of fresh lime.
- Create a separate drinks section if you use a single menu for food offerings and drinks.
- Spotlight your specials by placing them near the top of the menu or use callouts, photos, and highlights so they can’t be missed.
What you offer to drink is just as important as the menu itself. Remember, variety is the spice of life, so offer a balance of classic drinks mixed with some innovative ones. Create a signature drink for your local bar and grill menu (or couple) to offer your guests that exclusive wow factor that they won’t be able to get anywhere else. It will add value to your customer experience.
If you plan to serve a community where many families live, you may have to cater to underage clients visiting your bar every now and then. To ensure they also have a great time at your establishment, consider incorporating juice bars into your local bar and grill menu. It will make them feel welcome and give them the experience of drinking cocktails at a bar without breaking the law—a win-win.
Designing Your Space
Your space should have a unique atmosphere. Think about the ambiance you want to create to draw in customers. Do you want customers who come to enjoy an after-work drink or those who want to have a raucous Sunday night football-watching party?
Whether you want to create a sports bar and grill atmosphere or a family pub/restaurant experience, you need to design a layout that is comfortable for customers, allows your staff to work efficiently, and looks good.
Comfortable seating and easy access to the bar are a must. Don’t forget to include sufficient space for customers who are unable to walk. People in wheelchairs or using mobility aids also want to enjoy going out to a bar, so make them feel welcome by creating extra space for them.
A sports bar and grill should offer a vibrant atmosphere where customers can watch sports. They will appreciate it if you install multiple TVs tuned into various sports channels and decorate the place with sports-themed decor and memorabilia for that immersive experience.
If you want to create a calmer oasis for people to visit for that relaxing drink, consider creating a warm and inviting ambiance by installing fixtures and furniture that provide comfort, style, and functionality. A place to unwind or forget your troubles.
Hand in hand with that, you should also select your restaurant supplies for efficiency. Your staff should be able to move around the space easily, with a layout that allows them to work efficiently and serve customers effectively.
Branding and Signage
Work closely with a local sign shop to create signage that captures the essence of your local bar and grill menu. The design should be a visual extension of your brand. A local signage artist will have a good eye for what works in the area. Use a cohesive color scheme and elements consistent with your establishment’s theme. If you use symbols and motifs, make sure they resonate with your target clientele in the right way to foster the desired recognition and engagement.
Ensure that every aspect of your signage contributes to a unified brand experience. This includes the choice of fonts, imagery, and even the materials used for the sign. If you create a special logo, use it on other parts of the decor inside for consistency. Repeat the design elements on glasses, coasters, bar signs, and perhaps tablecloths or serviettes if you use them.
The signage should also blend seamlessly with its environment, integrating well into the neighborhood. It should appear as if it’s a natural part of the location while still catching the eye of potential customers. You should see it, but it should also look like it belongs on that street.
Remember, the goal is to create signage that feels like a landmark for your local bar and grill, one that patrons can identify and are drawn to but doesn’t jar with its surroundings.
Renovating the Kitchen
No two local bar and grill menu kitchens are the same. Even though certain commercial kitchen elements are repeated, the actual kitchen layout will be influenced the most by what type of food you want to cook and serve. To produce delicious meals with speed and efficiency, you need to arrange the kitchen equipment and fittings for optimal workflow.
Whether you are doing kitchen renovations or designing a new kitchen from scratch, your design needs to serve your needs. Will you serve snacky things like toasties, burgers, and hot wings or gourmet meals? Are you going to cater to health-conscious guests? Or a little bit of everything? Your kitchen design will depend on those decisions. As a general guide, make sure you have space to store ingredients, utensils, cooking equipment, food, and a serving hatch. Don’t forget to allocate space for receiving deliveries and scrap food disposal.
Get your chef involved in designing your kitchen layout. A chef will know how much storage space is needed and where to place various appliances to maximize the space’s efficiency and flow.
Since the kitchen is one of the most important parts of your local bar and grill menu, you should choose durable finishes to fit it out. Choose a granite countertop or custom countertops to cover your working surfaces to ensure their durability and style.
Designing the Interior
Designing your interior is probably the most fun part of opening the perfect local bar and grill menu and establishment. It goes without saying that your interior needs to reflect the personality of your theme. It should also accommodate what your guests will be doing. Will they dance, stand around the bar, or sit at tables or booths?
The main feature of any bar is the actual bar itself. Where will you place it? In the middle of the room, towards the wall? To get the design just right, you should probably work with a cabinet designer who can design that perfect bar. Everyone loves the look of a gleaming wooden bar counter, and it probably should take center stage in the decor. The warm wood tones are inviting and remind us of the TV series in the 80s called “Cheers.” The bar in Cheers was placed in the middle of the room, and all the regulars gathered around the bar on stools to drink and enjoy conversations. Good times were had by all. Perhaps bringing back this nostalgic look appeals to you, too.
On the other hand, you could go for something modern. Adding mirrors behind the bar shelves where the alcohol bottles and wares are displayed (and protected, let’s face it!) will add a striking design feature. If you are not very creative, hire an interior designer to handle the finer details.
Meanwhile, you should make other important decisions. For instance, what type of chairs and tables will you use? Will you fit in booths or provide movable seating arrangements? The upside of the flexibility of moving tables and chairs is that you can change their arrangement according to how many people turn up on the day. It allows you to push a couple of tables together to host larger groups or take some tables away on quieter nights. One important point is that you place your seating arrangement so that there is space for your servers to access the bar, the kitchen, and customers easily. As mentioned earlier, you may want to make provision for disabled folks in wheelchairs who may need more space at a table.
You should also pay attention to the type of flooring you install. If you can afford it, consider the hardwood flooring install. A hardwood floor will create a warm and inviting ambiance with its elegance and natural beauty. It will never go out of style, and you can choose one that fits your bar’s theme and brand identity.
Engineered hardwood is an excellent choice for a bar because it is very strong and can withstand heavy foot traffic. Remember, at least half of your patrons may be wearing high-heel shoes, which can easily damage a softer surface. Hardwood also contributes to better acoustics within a space. It absorbs sound and reduces the overall noise, creating a more pleasant atmosphere. It is also very easy to maintain. Just sweep them regularly and occasionally mop them to keep your floors clean. Hardwood floors are far more hygienic than carpets that trap allergens and dust.
If the cost of hardwood will not fit into your budget, perhaps consider tiled floors. Both ceramic and porcelain tiles are perfect for high-traffic areas. They are also durable and easy to clean, with the added advantage of coming in various styles and patterns. A good designer can transform your tiled floor into a stunning work of art. It may even become the feature element in your bar and grill establishment.
Other options you can choose include luxury vinyl tile, which is water-resistant and durable and comes in a wood or stone look. Consider stone floors, like travertine or marble, for that added elegance and natural texture. They are not cheap, but they are very luxurious and appealing.
Lastly, it’s important to ensure that the design is visually attractive and consistent with your brand’s identity. Consider incorporating fixtures and furniture that provide both style and functionality, and select restaurant supplies that complement your design choices.
To add one last safety point, for those who live in a hurricane-prone area, you should install hurricane screens for safety without sacrificing style.
Crafting the perfect local bar and grill menu and establishment is not easy. It requires a blend of creativity, understanding your customer’s preferences, and attention to detail. Each element of your design will play a crucial role in creating that inviting atmosphere. If people feel welcome at your place, they will support your business. It’s important that you get a trusted team to help you make design decisions. For instance, a chef can help you design a kitchen, and a cabinet designer can help you craft the perfect show-stopping bar. Visit the local sign shop for eye-catching branding, and don’t forget to protect your establishment with hurricane screens if needed. By focusing on these key aspects and getting them right, your local bar and grill menu will surely be a hit with patrons.